Population 10,704 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fairlington-Shirlington
Household size in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.74 | 2.18 | 2.73 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.81 | 2.34 | 2.82 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.84 | 2.25 | 2.86 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.81 | 2.22 | 2.77 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | +0.04 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Fairlington-Shirlington are small: just 1.81 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 1.74, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.9 | 35.4 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.9 | 35.6 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.3 | 36.2 | 38.5 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.3 | 37.3 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +1.8 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Fairlington-Shirlington is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 34.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 11.3% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.3% | 6.2% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 5.4% | 10.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Fairlington-Shirlington: 7.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Locally, though, single parents are more common here than in Arlington overall (5.4%). The single-parent share has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fairlington-Shirlington
Renters in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.2% | 53.1% | 34.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.3% | 55.2% | 36.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.3% | 57.3% | 36.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.2% | 58.8% | 36.3% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +5.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Fairlington-Shirlington than nationally: 46.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in Arlington as a whole (58.8%). More than a third of owners (37.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 7.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 10.8% | 8.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 11.5% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 8.7% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Fairlington-Shirlington than nationally: 7.9%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Arlington as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1968 | 1978 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1970 | 1979 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1973 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Fairlington-Shirlington is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1964, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1959 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,654 | $1,605 | $1,470 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,840 | $1,748 | $1,583 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,121 | $2,202 | $1,907 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,569 | $2,521 | $2,236 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$914 | +$916 | +$766 | +$600 | +$606 |
Rent in Fairlington-Shirlington runs $2,569 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $914 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 22.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fairlington-Shirlington
Bachelor's degrees in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.9% | 70.2% | 46.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 81.8% | 72.4% | 48.2% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 81.2% | 75.5% | 51.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 78.0% | 76.5% | 53.9% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | +6.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fairlington-Shirlington is highly educated: about eight in ten adults 25 and older (78.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 1.9 points, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.1% | 92.5% | 89.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.4% | 93.8% | 90.2% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.7% | 94.4% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 94.9% | 91.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Fairlington-Shirlington: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fairlington-Shirlington
| Period | Fairlington-Shirlington | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.7% | 3.3% | 5.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 3.8% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.3% | 2.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 3.4% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +0.0 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Fairlington-Shirlington has been low: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fairlington-Shirlington compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairlington-Shirlington | 1.81 | 38.3 | 7.4% | 46.2% | 7.9% | 1964 | $2,569 | 78.0% | 97.4% | 3.0% |
| Nauck | 2.16 | 34.8 | 8.7% | 49.5% | 14.8% | 1978 | $2,264 | 66.7% | 98.8% | 2.9% |
| North Ridge Rosemont | 2.41 | 45.6 | 4.7% | 23.6% | 3.6% | 1950 | $2,215 | 82.5% | 96.1% | 3.4% |
| Long Branch Creek | 2.15 | 30.6 | 6.9% | 76.1% | 5.8% | 1992 | $2,463 | 65.5% | 93.9% | 3.7% |
| Douglas Park | 2.49 | 33.7 | 5.8% | 71.6% | 3.1% | 1971 | $1,983 | 53.0% | 86.9% | 5.3% |
| Columbia Forest | 2.09 | 40.4 | 10.3% | 43.6% | 13.7% | 1970 | $1,865 | 57.7% | 83.8% | 6.0% |
| Seminary Hill | 2.48 | 38.4 | 10.1% | 57.6% | 5.3% | 1967 | $2,466 | 57.4% | 91.6% | 5.8% |
| Alexandria Wrest | 2.22 | 36.0 | 10.1% | 75.8% | 8.1% | 1976 | $1,992 | 51.1% | 88.8% | 3.3% |
| Barcroft | 2.68 | 32.6 | 13.7% | 54.6% | 4.0% | 1967 | $2,087 | 59.9% | 74.2% | 1.4% |
| Columbia Heghts | 1.87 | 35.9 | 6.7% | 76.9% | 4.0% | 1968 | $1,983 | 70.1% | 95.1% | 6.1% |
| Potomac West | 2.31 | 35.4 | 9.0% | 57.6% | 5.1% | 1954 | $2,157 | 63.3% | 83.6% | 2.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Adamsville, Atlanta, GA · Avenues West, Milwaukee, WI · Bay View, Norfolk, VA · Buckman, Portland, OR · College Point, Queens, NY · Contempo, Union City, CA · Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ · Lower Northwood, Baltimore, MD · River West, Bend, OR · Woodlawn, Pawtucket, RI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fairlington-Shirlington. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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